1 Corinthians 3–4

The Problem of Immaturity

3Brothers, I was not able to speak to you as spiritual people but as people of the flesh, as babies in Christ. ^j2I gave you milk to drink, not solid food, because you were not yet ready for it. In fact, you are still not ready, ³because you are still fleshly. For since there is envy ^kand strife ^lmamong you, are you not fleshly and living like unbelievers? ⁿ⁴For whenever someone says, “I’m with Paul,” and another, “I’m with Apollos,” ^oare you not unspiritual people? ^pq

The Role of God’s Servants

⁵What then is Apollos? And what is Paul? They are servants through whom you believed, and each has the role the Lord has given. ⁶I planted, ^rApollos watered, but God gave the growth. ⁷So then neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth. ⁸Now the one planting and the one watering are one in purpose, and each will receive his own reward according to his own labor. ⁹For we are God’s coworkers. ^sYou are God’s field, God’s building. ^t10According to God’s grace that was given to me, I have laid a foundation as a skilled master builder, and another builds on it. But each one must be careful how he builds on it. ¹¹For no one can lay any other foundation ^uthan what has been laid down. That foundation is Jesus Christ. ¹²If anyone builds on that foundation with gold, silver, ^vcostly stones, ^wwood, hay, or straw, ¹³each one’s work will become obvious, for the day ^xwill disclose it, because it will be revealed by fire; ^ythe fire will test the quality of each one’s work. ^z14If anyone’s work that he has built survives, he will receive a reward. ¹⁵If anyone’s work is burned up, it will be lost, but he will be saved; ^ayet it will be like an escape through fire. ^bc

¹⁶Don’t you yourselves know that you are God’s sanctuary ^dand that the Spirit of God lives in you? ^e17If anyone destroys God’s sanctuary, God will destroy him; ^ffor God’s sanctuary is holy, ^gand that is what you are.

The Folly of Human Wisdom

¹⁸No one should deceive ^hhimself. If anyone among you thinks he is wise in this age, ⁱhe must become foolish ^jso that he can become wise. ^k19For the wisdom of this world is foolishness ^lwith God, since it is written: ^mHe catches the wise in their craftiness; ^no20and again, The Lord knows that the reasonings ^pof the wise are meaningless. ^qr21So no one should boast in human leaders, for everything is yours ^s— ²²whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas ^tor the world or life ^uor death ^vor things present or things to come ^w—everything is yours, ²³and you belong to Christ, ^xand Christ belongs to God.

The Faithful Manager

4A person should consider us in this way: as servants ^yof Christ and managers ^zof God’s mysteries. ^a2In this regard, it is expected of managers that each one of them be found faithful. ^b3It is of little ^cimportance to me that I should be evaluated ^dby you or by any human court. ^eIn fact, I don’t even evaluate myself. ⁴For I am not conscious of anything against myself, but I am not justified ^fby this. The One who evaluates me is the Lord. ⁵Therefore don’t judge ^ganything prematurely, before the Lord comes, ^hwho will both bring to light what is hidden in darkness and reveal the intentions of the hearts. And then praise will come to each one from God. ⁱ

The Apostles’ Example of Humility

⁶Now, brothers, ^jI have applied these things to myself and Apollos ^kfor your benefit, so that you may learn from us the saying: “Nothing beyond what is written.” ^lThe purpose is that none of you will be inflated with pride in favor of one person over another. ⁷For who makes you so superior? What do you have that you didn’t receive? If, in fact, you did receive it, why do you boast as if you hadn’t received it? ⁸You are already full! You are already rich! You have begun to reign as kings without us—and I wish you did reign, so that we could also reign with you! ⁹For I think God has displayed us, the apostles, in last place, like men condemned to die: We have become a spectacle to the world and to angels and to men. ¹⁰We are fools for Christ, but you are wise in Christ! ^mWe are weak, but you are strong! You are distinguished, but we are dishonored! ¹¹Up to the present hour we are both hungry and thirsty; we are poorly clothed, roughly treated, homeless; ¹²we labor, working ⁿwith our own hands. ^oWhen we are reviled, we bless; when we are persecuted, we endure it; ¹³when we are slandered, we respond graciously. Even now, we are like the world’s garbage, like the dirt everyone scrapes off their sandals. ^p

Paul’s Fatherly Care

¹⁴I’m not writing this to shame you, but to warn you as my dear children. ^q15For you can have 10,000 instructors in Christ, but you can’t have many fathers. For I became your father ^rin Christ Jesus through the gospel. ¹⁶Therefore I urge you to imitate me. ¹⁷This is why I have sent ^sTimothy to you. He is my dearly loved and faithful ^tson in the Lord. He will remind you about my ways in Christ Jesus, just as I teach everywhere in every church. ¹⁸Now some are inflated with pride, as though I were not coming to you. ¹⁹But I will come to you soon, ^uif the Lord wills, and I will know not the talk but the power of those who are inflated with pride. ²⁰For the kingdom of God is not a matter of talk but of power. ²¹What do you want? Should I come to you with a rod, ^vor in love and a spirit of gentleness? ^w